Caring for Leather Furniture Tips to Keep Your Leather Furniture Looking its Best

Caring for your leather furniture can easily prolong its life and keep it looking attractive. Leather lasts much longer than other upholstery, and its good looks can be maintained easily if you understand how to care for it.

• Like wood, leather can fade, stiffen and crack when placed close to heat sources. So avoid placing it very close to fireplaces or in a spot that gets direct sun.

• Vacuum or use a clean, white cloth to dust every couple of weeks, so that it stays clean. • To clean accumulated dirt, use a slightly damp, soft cloth to wipe the surface. However before doing

this for the first time, test in an inconspicuous spot to make sure the leather doesn't absorb it. Use only a dry cloth if the leather seems to absorb the water.

• For spills, immediately use a dry cloth to blot and let it air-dry. It is important to blot instead of wiping as you want to get all the moisture out instead of spreading it.

• Never use soap, cleaning solvents, detergents, or ammonia to clean stains. Never soak the stain heavily

with water. All these methods may actually be more damaging than the stain itself. For grease stains, blot excess with a clean dry cloth. The spot should gradually disappear into the leather after a short period of time. In case it persists, ask a professional leather specialist to clean the leather to avoid any potential damage to the leather itself.

• Watch out for scratches. As leather can scratch easily, avoid using sharp objects in its proximity.

Gently buff the surface with a chamois or clean fingers for minor scratches on the surface. • Leather can absorb dyes easily, so avoid placing printed materials on it. The ink can transfer and leave

stains. • Use a good leather conditioner every 6-12 months.